August 20, 2010, Newsletter Issue #269: Professional Help in Relapse Prevention

Tip of the Week

Many people attempting to get sober have long struggled with other forms of mental illness. Such manifestations can range from mild, ongoing depression to Generalized Anxiety Disorder, to extreme cases of Paranoid Schizophrenia. These are serious forms of mental illness and cannot be treated individually or even with a 12-step treatment alone.


It is suggested that you seek the support of a psychiatrist and/or a therapist (note: most psychiatrists are excellent at medication management, but not therapy, so a separate counselor is suggested if it is within your budget). Most cities have local mental health centers that offer discounted rates for such services. If you do opt to seek professional help, however, it is essential that you tell your provider(s) that you are a recovering alcoholic. This way, you will not be prescribed any other drugs to which you can become addicted.

Note: If you find a sponsor or group of 12-step members who tell you that you cannot have a therapist or take medication, think again. This sect of the recovery program is not supported by the World Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous. Twelve-step programs are self-help groups, not a group of medical professionals. If seeing a doctor makes you nervous, there are plenty of recovering psychiatrists/therapists that you can find through networking in your program.

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